Election 2025: Police to charge teen over allegedly stolen Tim Wilson Liberal poster

A teenager may face criminal charge as police investigate the theft and vandalism of election posters in Goldstein.

A photo taken of the suspect behind the alleged theft of a Tim Wilson campaign poster.

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A teenager is expected to be charged with stealing a campaign poster of Liberal candidate Tim Wilson and police have launched a separate investigation into the vandalism of other posters belonging to the former MP.

Police were called in after the alleged theft of campaign posters in Sandringham shortly after midnight on Friday in an incident caught on camera by the resident in the house.

Photos taken of the alleged poster thief show a man wearing a white mask walking with a Liberal poster under his arm.

“An 18-year-old Sandringham man is expected to be charged on summons after a political sign was stolen from outside a Sandringham Road, Sandringham, home just after midnight on 25 April,” a police spokesperson said on Sunday.

Victoria Police has also confirmed that officers are investigating the vandalism of other Wilson posters in the electorate of Goldstein, which is expected to be decided by just hundreds of votes on May 3.

“Caulfield police are investigating following a report of vandalism on a sign at Hawthorn Road in Caulfield on 24 April,” the police spokesperson said.

“Police are investigating the circumstances to determine if an offence has been committed.

The investigation remains ongoing.”

Liberal candidate Tim Wilson.

Mr Wilson, who was defeated at the 2022 election by teal candidate Zoe Daniel, has expressed concerns about both incidents.

“We live in a democracy where all voters are entitled to express support for their preferred candidate, however it’s disappointing to see further vandalism and theft of campaign material,” he said on Sunday.

“I hope all candidates condemn these acts.”

Goldstein resident Ross Barker said he was woken at 12.10am on Anzac Day when his censor lights switched on and he heard someone removing on of his three Wilson posters.

Mr Barker said he grabbed a camera and walked outside and confronted a man who he said he believed had just removed two of the posters.

“I was verbally abused by this person,” Mr Barker told The Australian.

“He looked at me and said ‘You are a fascist c..t’ so I found it all quite threatening.”

The removal of campaign posters emerged as a hot-button issue in the teal-held seat of Kooyong when Monique Ryan was forced to apologise after her husband admitted to taking a poster belonging to Liberal candidate Amelia Hamer.

Vandalised corflutes for Liberal candidate for Goldstein Tim Wilson.

“I apologise for the removal of the sign. It should not have happened,” Dr Ryan said after video emerged of her husband, Peter Jordan, walking down the street with the Hamer poster under his arm.

“I unreservedly apologise for removing the sign,” Mr Jordan said.

“It was a mistake.

“I believed the sign was illegally placed but I should have reported my concerns to council.”